Summer Lovin'
by TheRoseOfGryffindor
Summary: It's been the deadest summer the Duke boys can remember, but that all changes when a pretty blonde in a cherry red Chevelle drives into town. Only trouble is, they may not be able to find her again, and what happens once they do? Fairytales don't always come true, especially when your last name is Duke. (best if narrative parts are read in the voice of the narrator from show)
1. Cinderella Syndrome

It had been a long hot, and dry summer in Hazzard County. Everyone had kept indoors as much as they could. Which meant the Duke boys, despite all their spirit, had been inside more than was their wont, and it was starting to give them cabin fever. There had been a few races, but nothing big, there was one coming up at the end of the month, and they had been giving the General the works trying to get him ready.

"Luke" Bo said after they'd come in from the garage, shirts off and dripping in sweat from the Georgia heat. His cousin grunted from behind a giant glass of lemonade to let Bo know he was listening. "We've done just about everything to the General that borrowed tools and discount parts can buy, and the race is still two and a half weeks out."

Luke nodded "we could freshen up the paint job."

"It's too hot, we'd run the risk of it bubbling."

"You two could try picking up a book to read" Daisy said with a laugh as she poured them both refills of lemonade.

"I've done read all my car magazines."

"I meant recreational reading Luke" she said holding up a book.

"Since when did you read for fun?" Bo asked sitting up.

"Well I've been making friends with the new school teacher we've got in town. She said I was welcome to borrow her books any time I liked" Daisy's smile left her face for the space of two or three seconds, but the boys didn't notice. The thought had occurred to her that her two cousins might suddenly want to read a whole lot more once they caught sight of the new school teacher, and that would spell trouble all around.

"We'll pass Daisy" Bo said getting up. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up, maybe go down to the Boar's Nest. Wanna come Daisy?"

"Not tonight, I don't have to work, so I don't really feel like being there, besides, this book is starting to get really good" she got up, gave her cousin a kiss on the cheek and went into the kitchen to sit down by the refrigerator with the fan. Bo and Luke simply shook their heads, and an hour later were out in General Lee driving towards town like two bats fresh out of hell.

They got to town before the sun was even down, which meant the Boar's Nest was not really alive yet. Just the families of Hazzard County finishing up meals, or the more respectable folk getting themselves a shot or two before heading home and retiring for the night, before the night really began.

Bo and Luke went in, ordered two beers, and were regretting driving the General there so fast, seeing as no one worth seeing was there. Yet. But the General had run in perfect tune and was going to be more than ready come that race at the end of the month. Luke was staring at the label on his bottle like he could somehow make the attractive lady on the label come to life if he looked at it hard enough. It'd be the only thing that could turn around this dud of a summer. There wasn't a girl left in Hazzard that would talk to him or Bo. At least not in public, and the number of secret romances were running thin, seeing as the boys were about as good at making relationships work as they were at staying out of trouble. Bo let out a yawn, and turning away from his cousin, so as not to be rude he caught sight of a girl he'd never seen before. She had long honey blonde hair and was dressed real smart in a dress that fell just above her knee and flared out at her hips. She wasn't the current idea of beauty, she looked more like some of those pinups from Uncle Jesse's day that would have been painted on the front of some man's airplane during the wars.

"Luke, is she real you think?" Luke looked up from the label on his beer bottle.

"Well, there wouldn't be any harm in talking to her to make sure" he said with a grin as he slid out of his seat.

They watched her sit down and order and then walked up, hands in pockets. If they hadn't been such decent guys it would have looked something like two buzzards approaching a dead 'dillo on the roadside. But the boyish faces that showed their good natured hearts were enough to assure anyone that while they were nothing but trouble, they were a good kind of trouble, a trouble you could trust.

"Howdy" the blonde said looking up at the two boys.

"Hey" Bo said.

"Mind if we sit down?" Luke asked, even though he'd already sat down across from her at the booth table, Bo joined him.

"Doesn't look like it mattered whether I minded or not?" she said arching her brow while a broad smile sat on her face as her strong accent poured out her words.

"Say, you ain't from around here?"

"Your powers of observation are keen I see" she said with another sassy grin. "No, I just came into town, I'm from Texas."

The two boys' eyes went wide, Texas was halfway to China by their reckoning the only thing more outrageous would have been for her to be from California or England.

"Texas" they both repeated in united disbelief.

She smiled again, she was hoping the boys would get around to introductions sometime soon, otherwise this would just be awkward. Her whole face seemed to say 'well aren't you silly country boys going to ask me my name' Bo finally caught the signal.

"So, we know where you're from now, but what's your name. I'm Bo by the way, and this is my cousin Luke."

"I'm Samantha, Samantha McKinney, nice to meet you both" she said with a warm smile.

"Hey, can we get you something?" Bo asked, already halfway out of his seat to fetch whatever she asked.

"Well, I already ordered, and the only thing I was wanting was company, and you two will do just fine for that."

The boys both grinned ear to ear. There was something interesting about how the Duke boys dealt with women. Despite having romanced over half the eligible women in the county, Bo and Luke had managed to never fight over the same girl. Not once. If they both found themselves fancying the same female they just waited for her to choose which one she fancied best. This wise plan was more than likely instilled into them by their uncle and carried out by the brotherly love they bore each other. No girl was worth busting up their family for, and sometimes, on very rare occasions, it took Daisy to remind them of this fact.

They sat and talked and the sound of her high laughter and Texan drawl rang throughout the Boar's Nest until the night crowd showed up and filled it with their own talk and laughter.

Bo got up and held his hands out to her "You wanna dance?" he asked with confidence, but just that hint of country boy shyness that made it almost impossible for a girl to say no to.

She got up and took his hand and he whirled her around the dance floor.

"You dance really well for a Georgia boy" she said smiling.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, feeling just a bit offended.

"It means, you dance almost as well as the boys out in Texas" she said laughing and then went into an explanation of some of the swing style moves she'd grown up with. Bo smiled.

"Mind if I try that last one you mentioned?" he said smirking as he spun her out, pulled her back in and rolled her across his back and back around.

Samantha was a tad breathless, not expecting him to pick up on the moves she was describing, quite so easily. He held her close as she caught her breath and balance again, and because it was a perfect excuse to have her close. He smiled down at her.

"Hey, let me get you something to drink" he said leading her to the side of the dance floor and getting her a glass of sweet tea.

"Thanks" she said sipping it. She stopped short as she saw the clock on the opposite wall. Her face went a little pale and she set the glass down.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, only, I need to get home" she said picking up her purse from where she'd been sitting earlier.

"So soon? You need me to give you a ride?" he asked. Bo really didn't want her to leave, not only was she pretty but she was interesting, full of ideas and fun, and she was from Texas too, that made her the closest thing to exotic that Hazzard County was ever going to see.

"No, I drove, but thanks" she said disappearing out the door before Bo could even try for a goodbye kiss. He watched her go from the door, tearing out of the parking lot in an old cherry red Chevelle, he felt pretty sure he could wind up losing his heart to a girl who drove a car like that. Only it looked like he wouldn't have the chance to do that, seeing as she'd left him with nothing but her name. Some fairytale about a princess at a dance that he'd heard Jesse read Daisy as a little girl came to his head, but he couldn't quite place it. He went out walking in no particular direction. So lost in thought that he walked the whole way back to the farm. Which was fine with Luke, he'd found himself with an old flame and was making the most of it, taking her out for a moonlit drive in General Lee.


	2. Summer School

A week passed and Bo didn't dare ask anyone if they'd seen a pretty blonde in a cherry Chevelle, he didn't want them to think he was getting attached or anything, he just felt she was a mystery, one he would really like to find the answer to.

Daisy came downstairs dressed for work.

"Isn't it a bit early? I thought you didn't have work until 4?"

"Yeah, but they asked me to come in early, could you do me a favor?" She asked grabbing her purse.

"What do you want?" Bo asked trying to sound like he wouldn't do it when they both knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for his family, especially Daisy or Luke.

"That book I was reading" she said pointing to it on the kitchen countertop "I told Sally I'd have it back to her by today, but I won't have time, could you swing it by the school for me please" she said sailing out the front door.

"Sure" Bo yelled as the screen door bounced shut.

He rolled his eyes and picked the book up "Wuthering Heights? Hm" he said as he read the title and then walked out the General. He raced into town, leaving Luke napping under the breeze of three fans in the living room. He waited for the kids to leave the school and then walked in, it was summer school, so there were only like ten of them. He chuckled as he remembered spending a few summers going to summer school, and giving his teachers hell. He never could get the hang of writing and he had never liked reading, he did good with sums and science, and had loved the mechanics elective they'd offered his sophmore year.

He strode into the school, saying hi to some of his younger cousins as they left. He looked around, poking his head into the classroom where summer school was held. His eyes widened as he saw the girl with the cherry Chevelle, Samantha, sitting behind the desk with glasses on, pouring over papers.

"'scuse me" he said, his voice going just a bit squeaky out of jitters.

"Oh" she said looking up "hello there" a smile graced her lips as he walked in.

"Daisy told me to bring this by the school, do you know a teacher named Sally?" he asked looking down at her. He normally didn't think glasses did a thing for girls, but she looked smart and pretty in hers.

"I should, seeing as she's me" she caught sight of his confused look "Sally is my nickname" she explained.

"I like it." For some reason that even Bo couldn't explain himself, he was finding it hard to keep that big boyish grin off his face.

"I'm glad you do, did she tell you how she liked it?" she asked as she took the book from him and put it in her bag.

"No but you could go by the Boar's Nest tonight and ask her yourself, do you wanna go with me?"

She looked down at her pile of papers "I'm not sure I'll have the time, I've got to grade all of these ."

"I'll help" he volunteered before the thought had actually had time to go through his brain. He realized about two seconds after the words had left his mout that he had just got himself into one of those classic Duke situations, in which you volunteer to do something that you can't really do and will have to find a way out or fake it until it works. And he didn't want a way out, he liked just being around this girl, liked the way she smiled and how she let off the faintest smell of perfume when she moved. How someone could smell that nice in this heat was beyond him so he settled down and started looking over the papers with her.

"Is that how elephant is actually spelled?" he asked not two minutes into helping her.

"Yes"

A few seconds later "Who's Mowgli?" and that took ten minutes of Samantha explaining to him the entire story of the Jungle Book. He smiled. "You really like this stuff don't you?"

"I wouldn't have wanted to teach it if I didn't" and with that they fell back into studying. Samantha the papers, and Bo Samantha.

He looked back down at the paper he had been 'helping' her grade and struggled to focus and actually read it, he really did want to take her out dancing again. He let out a sigh of frustration before he could stop it.

"What's the matter?" she asked putting her hand on his arm and looking over his shoulder at the paper.

"Nothin'" he muttered.

"You know Bo, you don't have to help me do this just because you want me to go dancing with you tonight. You can come by later, and if I'm done, I'll go with you."

"But" Bo began to protest.

"I'll get it done a whole lot quicker without you distracting me" she said grinning.

Something about the way she said distracting made Bo's heart race just a bit, she could have meant that he was always asking her questions and breaking her focus from her work, or she could have meant that he, himself, was a distraction, talking or not. He liked to think it was the latter and so he swaggered out of the schoolhouse and went back home and got cleaned up real smart for that evening.

It was a Thursday night which meant the Boar's Nest would be alive with people, and it also meant Samantha didn't have to teach school the next day, seeing as summer school was only Monday through Thursday.

She sat there, at her desk, pondering whether it was worth it, getting entangled with one of the local boys, she was a teacher after all, and new in town. She didn't want to lose her first job before the fall had even come. She was about to just make an excuse, tell Bo she had papers to grade, but over ten years of reading great works of fiction had saturated her brain with enough of the romantic spirit that there was no self-denial for her in matters of the heart. She went to her house out behind the school building and got changed, putting on a light purple blouse and a nice brown skirt, it might have looked a bit stuffy to some, too old fashioned, but that would be a good thing if any suspicious parents were at the Boar's Nest tonight. She even left her glasses on, the more frumpish she looked, the better, and if Bo lost interest just because she wasn't the dish she had looked when they first met, well then it wasn't really love after all.

Bo pulled up in front of the schoolhouse, getting out, his messy blond hair as sane looking as he could manage and smelling of cologne. Daisy had bought it for him about five Christmases back, he only used it on special occasions. He helped her into the General Lee. He mentally kicked himself for not taking one of the other cars, the General was a hassle to get in and out of, especially for a girl in a skirt. Samantha was laughing too hard to speak by the time she was finally in the car.

The drive out to the Boar's Nest Bo found himself stealing glances at his pretty passenger, it hadn't even occurred to him yet that as a school teacher, he might have to proceed with caution, she did have a reputation to maintain. But all Bo had on his mind was a good night of dancing and maybe a moonlight drive down to the lakeside if she was willing.

Daisy came up to them smiling, and talked with Sally until she got called away. She kept trying to get back to them, especially when Sally wasn't around, she knew her cousin was falling and he had to be stopped. This was only going to end badly for both of them. But by the time she got free Bo was nowhere to be seen and she would bet all that night's tips that they were out in the General Lee. She threw a prayer to heaven that this wouldn't end badly, but she knew that God only could stop it from doing so.

Bo loved showing off for girls, and no car could show off half so well as General Lee. They took turns at unhealthy speeds and ran over jumps and around bends all the while Samantha was either laughing or, on the jumps, hanging onto Bo for dear life. He wasn't sure which he liked better, her laughter or her hanging onto him because she was scared.

Bo kept driving a little slower the closer they got to the lake.

He got out and pulled her out through the window, her giggles making him giddy. He didn't let her go once he got her out of the window. He just held her there right up close to him and looked down, finding her looking right back up at him, smiling at him. He pushed her blonde curls away from her face and then bent down and put his lips to hers. He felt her arms encircle his waist and he pulled her closer, he reached down and gently pulled her glasses off and returned to kissing her. They kissed for a solid minute or two before he reluctantly loosened his hold of her, feeling she was not the kind of girl you tried to go too fast with. She smiled and stood beside him, resting her head on his chest as she looked at the moonlight shining off the water of the lake. A few minutes passed, filled with beautiful serene silence, where the only human sound was their soft breathing and the beating of their hearts, just a little faster than their usual pace.

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked, her mischevious grin spread all over her face.

Bo looked at her, looked at the lake and then back to her "Really?" he asked in a bit of surprise.

"Hey, it's just a swim, ain't no harm in it" she said as she held onto his arm for support, taking off her shoes.

Less than two minutes later the two of them were laughing and having a good ole time skinnydipping.

They talked and swam until the moon was high in the sky and then they laid out Bo's jacket and shirt to dry out on. They both fell asleep, naked as jaybirds, on the beach shore.


	3. Trouble Starts

It was Bo who woke up first. He sat up and put his shirt that he'd been laying out on over her got his pants on and then bent down and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning Sally" he said smiling down at her.

She stifled a yawn as she stretched "good morning Bo" she said smiling. She curled up looking a bit surprised as she realized where they were, and that she was, in fact, naked, covered in nothing but his t-shirt. Bo let out one of his boyish laughs, and she joined him reaching over for her clothes and getting as far as underwear and her skirt before she happily found herself cuddled up with Bo, who was reluctant to leave the site of their pleasant night out. She giggled as he wrapped her up in his strong arms. They watched as a heron flew over the lake, Bo told her all about the bugs and other critters that the were scurrying around in the early morning all around them. She smiled, looking over her shoulder at him.

"You sure are smarter than you look Bo Duke" she said smiling.

"Hey now!" he said picking her up in his arms bridal style and spinning until they were both dizzy and back on the ground.

After almost an hour of just relaxing in what little cool the day was going to afford them Bo proposed they go to his uncle Jesse's for breakfast.

"Sounds great, I'm starved" she said as she put her blouse and glasses back on.

He helped her to her feet and they started off in the direction of where he'd parked the night before. Only thing was, the General was not where he had parked it, as a matter of fact, it wasn't there at all.

"Oh no!" Bo groaned. He had no idea who in Hazzard county would be dumb enough to steal his and Luke's car. "If Luke took it I'm going to skin him" he threatened.

Sally wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation but a realization was dawning on her. Her escapade that night with Bo would spell trouble if word got out to the town folk that their teacher had been out ona moonlight drive and went skinny dipping with one of the Duke boys. No one would believe that things hadn't went further than a little kissing. She shook her head, who would find out anyways, other than whoever took the car, and they were guilty of theft, which was a much bigger crime than skinny dipping.

The nearest place Bo knew was Cooter's junkyard, so that's where they went, walking down the hot dusty Georgia backroad. They had been walking for over a half hour and Sally was trying not to let it show that her shoes were giving her blisters and she was in pain. She tripped and her shoe slipped off. Bo bent down and picked it up.

"Cinderella" he said "that's the girl I was trying to think of." He said remembering the night he'd first saw her and she'd disappeared.

"Excuse me?" she asked in confusion.

"That night you ran off" he said, standing up and swooping her into his arms after he noticed the blister starting on her now bare foot. "You reminded me of some girl from a storybook that my uncle used to read Daisy growing up."

"And then I lost my shoe just now, so that makes me Cinderella?" she asked giggling and taking her other shoe off as he carried. her.

"Yeah" he said grinning and giving her nose a kiss.

"Well, you're not far off, my mom's name is Cindy" she said grinning and then laying her head on his shoulder.

"She back in Texas?" he asked.

"Yeah, what about your parents Bo, where are they?"

He went quiet and a gloomy look passed over his face "They're dead."

"I'm sorry" she said gently.

"I was just a kid, I barely remember them. Uncle Jesse pretty much raised us, me and Luke and Daisy."

"He must be quite a noble soul" she said softly.

"He's the best and smartest man I've ever met."

"I'd love to meet him" she said smiling.

"Well if we ever get wheels in time, you can have breakfast with us."

Eventually they got to Cooter's and with a great many chuckles he let them borrow one of his cars and they drove out to the farm for breakfast. They pulled up and Bo went around and opened the door for Sally.

"Hey Uncle Jesse" Bo shouted coming in the screen door.

"Come on in" Jesse said "me and Daisy were just talking about you" he said in a serious tone.

"And this is my friend Sally" he said leading her into the house and shutting the door behind her "I invited her to have breakfast with us."

Jesse looked at Daisy and they both silently threw up a sigh of resignation.

Luke came downstairs a few minutes later, tucking in his shirt as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh" he said noticing Sally "Good morning miss Samantha" he said smiling and throwing his cousin a grin.

"Hey, I need to drive the General today Bo" Luke said drinking a cup of coffee as he looked out in the front yard. "Hey, where is it?" he turned and looked at Bo.

"Someone stole it" he said bitterly.

"Stole it! You know that race is in less than two weeks"

"Yeah! I know, it's not like I let them take it on purpose."

"Well who was it that took it?"

"I don't know, I wasn't awake. We just woke up and the car was gone."

"We?" Jesse's firm voice came in.

"Well me and Sally went skinny dipping and were laying out drying off and fell asleep and when we woke up the car was gone. Honest Uncle Jesse, it wasn't anything more than that." He protested.

Daisy and Jesse shook their heads. If there was such a thing as a trouble-magnet it was Bo.

"I don't care what he was doing, we need that car for the race." Luke said in aggitation.

"And I'm sure whoever took the General knows that too" Jesse said.

"Say! maybe it's a rival racer. That Jimmy Higgins has always played dirty."

"I don't know" Luke grumbled.

"Well why don't y'all just go to the police?" Sally asked.

The four others turned in silence and looked at her like she was out of her mind.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked looking up at Bo with her green eyes.

"No" he said sitting down in the chair next to hers "The law and us don't exactly see eye to eye, that's all."

"More like Sheriff Roscoe is crookeder than a snake caught in a corner."

"There is that" Bo acknowledged.

"For all we know Roscoe and Boss Hogg could be behind this. Trying to keep the boys out of the race."

"But why would he want to do that?" Sally asked naively.

They just shook their heads.

"Hey, I know things got messed up this morning" Bo said after breakfast, "let me make it up to you." He said after breakfast was over.

"Thanks Bo" she said preparing a no but when she looked up into his eyes that's not what came out "what did you have in mind?" is what came out instead.

"We could go down to the fishin' hole? Or just stay around the house, it's gonna be another hot day." he commented looking out the kitchen window.

"Well... there is the ice cream store in town?" she offered.

"You know what, you might have something there" he said grinning.

"Hey Daisy" Bo said going upstairs, he had somehow lost his wallet since changing clothes that morning "you seen my wallet?"

"No Bo." she said fixing her hair in the bathroom mirror "does it look like this?" she asked picking it up off the counter.

"Thanks" he said taking it from her hand.

"Hey Daisy" Sally said popping her head in at the door "me and Bo are going to the ice cream store, you wanna come with?"

"You know what, that doesn't sound half bad, give me just a second" she said "I'll follow y'all in the pickup."

They got in the car, now why did she have to go invite Daisy, that made it much less like a date, Bo was complaining in his head.

Things didn't go half bad while they were at the ice cream shop sipping root beer floats and laughing. Daisy and Sally talked about the book she'd leant Daisy and Bo listened absently, bored and trying to figure out who might have taken the General and how he was going to get it back.

An hour or two later he dropped Sally off at her front porch, not before he got a good and long goodbye kiss that made his head swim and his heart skip. He got back in the car letting out his signature rebel yell as he drove off with his head in the clouds, almost too giddy to even think about the trouble he was in. Almost. And so he met up with Luke at Cooter's and they tried to figure out what to do about their missing car.


	4. Fast Cars and Freedom

It turns out while Bo was sleeping on the lake shore with Sally McKinney, Jimmy Higgins had in fact stolen the General Lee, not because it was his own idea. Boss Hogg had put him up to it, the race at the end of the month was going to have one of the biggest cash prizes of any race in the circuit. And Jimmy had gotten in some trouble with the law. Trouble that Roscoe was going to overlook, at Hogg's command, if Jimmy won that race and gave Boss Hogg the prize money. It would give the Duke boys a bad day to lose, and it would make his day to have an extra five thousand cash in his pockets.

"Well?" Luke asked coming into the garage with a cold beer.

"No news"

"Y'all might want to think about gettin' another car ready, just in case" Cooter suggested.

"Yeah, but it ain't gonna win.. not unless we had something with a lighter body than anything we currently got" Luke said in a disgruntled tone.

"Hey boys" Daisy said loping into the garage and setting down her bag. "I got an invite for y'all. Bo's new girl Sally has invited all of us over for dinner, she's fixing potato salad and green beans and pulled pork sandwhiches."

Cooter's eyes had went wide at the description of such a feast.

"You're invited too Cooter" Daisy added noticing his face. "It's for us four and Uncle Jesse, she wanted to invite the whole family until I told her that constituted over half of Hazzard County" Daisy said laughing.

"Why hasn't one of your girls ever invited us for food?" Bo asked his cousin.

"Well this is a first for you too" Luke said throwing him a go to hell look. "And tell her that we'll be there. You heard anything about the General Daisy?"

"No, not yet. I was heading over to talk to Enos, see if Roscoe was behind this, I'll let y'all know any news I get at dinner" she said grabbing her bag, heading out again.

Bo leaned back in his chair a smug smile resting on his boyish face. Luke threw a grease rag into that face and the boys got into a tussle.

A few hours later three cars and a pickup were parked outside the little house behind the school.

"Come on in y'all" her Texas drawl came from the front porch.

She had borrowed some chairs from the schoolhouse to accomodate her guests and she smiled warmly at them all. Normally Bo and Luke's girls were too scared of their parents shooting the boys on sight to invite them over, but with no parents in the neighborhood there was nothing to stop her from having Bo over, but just to avoid the suspicions of the town folk she invited the whole clan.

Daisy came up in her Jeep a little later. Just as the table was being set out and all the Dukes and Cooter were settled into their chairs.

"Any news?" Luke asked setting down his beer.

"Yeah, and you two ain't gonna like it" she said coming up and giving Sally a hug in greeting.

"What is it?" Bo asked disconsolately. Things would be going better than believable if it wasn't for the General being missing.

"It was Jimmy Higgins, and he was working for Boss, and he's taken the car one county over, and you know Boss will be looking for you to break your parole by leaving Hazzard to get it. You should see Enos, he's so ashamed about the whole thing, you see Roscoe has him watching the line, waiting for y'all."

"So what do we do?" Bo asked.

"I could go over and try and get it back" Daisy offered "me and Cooter could slip into the county and be back by breakfast."

"You'll do no such thing" came Jesse's strong voice "Besides, Roscoe will have Enos keeping an eye out for any of us."

"What about me?" Sally asked after serving out the green beans.

They all turned and looked at her.

"You'll do no such thing" came Bo's plaintive voice "it could be dangerous and..." Bo was cut off mid-sentence by his cousin.

"Now that could work... she's new in town, no one could really associate her with us as more than Daisy's friend and a few people might think she's Bo's girl, but not enough to raise Enos' or Roscoe's suspicions.

"No. Besides, once she got to Jimmy's what do you think he's gonna do, just hand her over the keys?" Bo asked.

Luke nodded in Sally's direction "wouldn't you?"

"Okay, definitely no!" Bo said sensing this idea would involve Sally flirting the keys out of the possession of a rival racer.

"Hush" Sally said putting a finger on Bo's lips. "So where does this Higgins guy have General Lee, and how tough will he be?" she asked turning to Daisy.

Two hours later, with Bo relatively consoled by having Sally in his lap, the plan was all in place. That Saturday Cooter would sneak into the county next door with Sally, while Daisy distracted Enos, and Roscoe if need be. With a prayer that the Duke luck had rubbed off on Bo's girl, the plan just might work.

Saturday morning found Sally at the Duke's farmhouse. She was going through Daisy's closet trying to find something that would suit the mission she was on that afternoon, the mission of distracting Jimmy Higgins while Cooter stayed out of sight in case she needed backup. He also, with much persuasion on Bo's part, was to drive the Chevelle back across the county line while Sally ran the General back. Once back in Hazzard she'd pick up the boys, and the car couldn't possibly be seen as stolen. That was the plan.

"Are you sure you're alright with me borrowing your clothes?"

"If the boys are willing to let you drive the General back into Hazzard, then my clothes are the least I can offer, seeing as Uncle Jesse won't let me do anymore than just be a distraction. I'm gonna go downstairs and check on breakfast" Daisy said disappearing, leaving Sally to peruse her wardrobe undistracted.

About ten minutes later Sally stepped into the kitchen where the boys were already sitting down to breakfast both of them gaped and as soon as Bo recovered himself he kicked his cousin's foot under the table and gave him a withering look.

"You look great" Bo said, his voice going up an octave.

"Thanks" she said smiling and bending over to kiss his cheek. She sat down in the chair next to him, distracting the hell out of him in her tight pink mini-skirt and beige top that accented all her curves.

"Jimmy Higgins won't know what hit him" Luke commented from across the table. He was pricked with a touch of envy. Not that Sally was gorgeous, not that she wasn't, it was more that happy and content look her and Bo shared when they were around each other. He wanted something like that, one of these days.

That afternoon a cherry Chevelle drove over the county line and a mile down a dusty old Georgia backroad before Sally parked it and got out. The plan was for her to walk the next quarter mile and go down to the garage where Jimmy worked, and lived behind, and draw him out to come look at her car that had broke down, Cooter was to take care of the rest.

She reached the garage looking properly distressed and disheveled.

"Hello?" she said coming into the garage.

"Well, hello" came a voice followed by a face that might be attractive to some, but looked too mean to Sally. She liked her boyish faced beau Bo. "How can I help you?" Jimmy asked wiping his hands on a grease rag and looking her up and down.

"My car" she started to say but saw that the General was parked in the garage on the other side of the door. There was no need for Cooter to interogate the location out of Jimmy Higgins, it was sitting right there. She smiled "my car isn't the best, someone said you sold cars, sometimes. They also said to not go to Hazzard county, it's crooked."

"Darn right it is" he said ushering her out into the yard to look at some of the cars he had. "Say, that accent, you ain't from 'round here are ya?"

"No, but I was visiting my aunt and wanted to see the Georgia countryside during the summer. Life at my aunt's is so dull" she said with a dramatic sigh.

"Well I'll try and fix that, and any of your car troubles too" he said showing her some of the cars, always trying to get an arm around her.

"What about that orange one in the garage?" she asked as they went back inside.

"That old thing, it's a piece of junk, I'm just trying to fix it" he said trying to distract her from the cars.

"I like how it looks, can I see it a little closer" she said going out into the garage. Jimmy followed, hoping she was clueless about cars.

"Can I take it out for a spin?" she asked after they had went into the garage.

"Nah! It barely runs, besides it does have a lot of horsepower, she might run you off the road" he said discouraginly.

"Well you get the keys could take me for a ride in it?" she said flashing her pretty green eyes at him.

"Oh yes" he said practically tripping over himself as he went back inside and got the keys.

When he came back out she seemed to be putting her lipstick on.

"All ready?" he asked eagerly.

"Why yes" she said putting her lipstick into her purse and pulling out her revolver. "Now hand those keys over to me, and open that garage door" she said in a sweet but lethal tone. He nodded, scared to death and handed the keys over and threw the door open. She kept her gun on him until she'd slipped through the window of the General and then she started up the engine and as it roared to life she set the gun down in the passenger seat and floored it, speeding past the rendezvous point with Cooter, hocking the horn as she whizzed past. Cooter jumped in her Chevelle and tried to keep up but the General was too fast.

Soon she was across the county line and she drove onto the backroad Bo had told her to meet him and Luke on, screeching into a sharp turn as she overshot the two boys.

"I can see why you like her" Luke said to his cousin as they coughed on her dust "she drives as bad as you."

"Hush" Bo said giving his cousin a shove. "You got it back!" he said pulling her out of the driver's seat and spinning her around in boyish glee.

"It took a little persuasion" she said reaching into the passenger seat and putting her revolver back into her purse. The boys' eyes widened.

"What? I'm a Texas girl, I always carry this thing" she said casually, curling into Bo's side, happy to have helped him and his cousin. He bent down and kissed the top of her blonde curly head. From far away they could hear the sound of sirens.

"That better not be Cooter in my Chevelle" she said darkly.

"Don't worry" Bo said grinning ear to ear.

A minute or maybe two passed before Cooter came driving down the road, followed shortly by Enos, followed closely by Daisy.

Cooter got out of the Chevelle and quickly gave Sally the keys.

"If you got a scratch on her, I expect free repairs for life Cooter" she warned.

He just laughed. Enos came up, and then Daisy, and after her came Roscoe. Making five cars all parked up around each other on a backroad.

"I-I, I'm arresting you boys!" Roscoe said snorting and chuckling.

"What for?"

"You know what for, y'all left Hazzard county without permission and broke your parole" he said gritting his teeth in that odd almost-giggle thing he did that could not be replicated, much less described.

"But Roscoe, we did no such thing. Ask Enos, did he see us go over the county line?"

Roscoe looked at Enos "No" the deputy answered.

"And I know the boys haven't left the county all day" Daisy added.

"Then how did that car get back into this county?" Roscoe demanded, growing flustered as he pointed at the General Lee.

"I bought it from some repair shop in the neighboring county" Sally said innocently.

"You?" he spluttered "what would a school teacher want with it?" he asked.

"Have you seen my current car?" she asked pointing to the cherry Chevelle. "I was going to give it to my brother when he came out to visit, but then these boys told me it was theirs, and it'd been stolen. So I figured it was only right to give it back to them" she said sweetly as she handed Bo the keys. "Anything wrong officer?" she asked in a voice filled with faked concern as she saw Roscoe P Coltrane's face turn purple and he started muttering to himself, walking away back to his patrol car.

As soon as he'd left Bo and Luke let out big rebel yells, Bo following his up with an enormous kiss on Sally's lips. He was happy, they'd cheated Roscoe out of victory, again. But trouble was far from over, in fact, it was only just begining, and the trouble that was brewing couldn't be cured with any number of clever car schemes and fast car tricks.


	5. A Storm Brewing

Now when word got back to Boss Hogg that his plans had been foiled, he was fit to be tied. He now had a school teacher siding with the Duke boys against him. Jimmy was too ashamed to admit that he'd been scared witless by a girl with a gun so he made up some story that they'd stolen it back while he was passed out, presumably because Cooter had clunked him on the head. But still, Samantha McKinney, Sophmore and Senior English teacher for Hazzard County had become involved by being present, and driving the General back into the county. As a man with his hand in every cookie jar in the county Boss Hogg knew that putting the school miss in her place would be the easiest of his tasks, he could scare her into disassociating herself with the Dukes by threatening her position here in Hazzard, or if that failed he could get her run out of town for being suspected of something more between her and the Dukes than what was considered proper for a school teacher.

Boss Hogg called Daisy over to his table.

"Something wrong with the food Boss?" she asked.

"Now Daisy" he said addressing her with his usual pomposity "I know you and the new school miss are friends, so could you pass on some kind advice, just from a concerned civic leader of Hazzard County" he said trying to sound affable and caring. Daisy had a feeling she knew what was coming "tell her that if any, I mean any, connections with your two cousins becomes suspicious I'll have to take action" he paused "for the good of the county you see?" he said looking up at the waitress from under his brows. "Can't have the English teacher foolin' around with boys like Bo and Luke" he said elaborating, though Daisy had known what he meant from his first words.

"I see" she said, nodding, secretly wanting to crack her serving tray over his head for insulting her cousins, even if there was every reason to be suspicious of them where girls were concerned.

"So you'll pass that on, just a piece of friendly advice, don't want a sweet girl like her getting run out of town or anything like that, make it hard to find a new job and all that" he said letting her know his full meaning with his severe glance.

"Yes sir" she said reluctantly, taking his glass without offering a refill and saling back to the kitchen. She hated what Boss had said, but she knew it was true. Bo and Sally were never going to work out, not in this county, not ever anywhere probably.

The next evening after school Daisy drove up to Sally's small quaint house with a feeling in her heart just as if she'd had a lead anvil tied to it pulling it down into her stomach. She didn't bother telling Bo, he wouldn't listen, rebel against Boss and the system no matter what, even in romance, even if it cost his love her reputation, it hadn't stopped her cousin from wooing half the daughters in the county, so there was no reason to believe Sally was an exception.

"Hey Daisy" Sally said opening the door when she heard the knock, her face beaming. "I was fixin' to meet up with Bo, maybe you can help me pick my outfit?" she said smiling as she shut the door behind Daisy. Daisy sighed. "What's wrong?" she asked as she stood in front of her closet.

"Sally" Daisy said taking her friend by her hands to make sure she kept her attention. "Boss Hogg talked to me today, he knows you helped the boys get the General back."

"What of it?" Sally asked smiling.

"He's going to get you run out of town if you don't leave Bo alone and just stay away from us in general, he didn't say anything about you and me being friends, but he was very serious about you and Bo breaking it off if you wanted to keep your position here in Hazzard" Daisy sighed and looked at her new friend with sympathy filled eyes.

"Does Bo know about this?" she asked after a long silence.

Daisy shook her head.

"I'll have to break it off then" she said squaring her shoulders and turning away from her clothes, she didn't have the enthusiasm to agonize over her clothing choice for the evening now.

"I'm sorry" Daisy said pulling Sally into a hug, it hurt to watch the silent heartbreak in her eyes.

"You better go" Sally said after a bit "Bo will be coming by to pick me up soon" she said sighing.

Daisy nodded and left "if you need anything, a friend, something to yell at, I'm here for ya sweetie."

Sally smiled and waved goodbye at her friend.


	6. The Storm Breaks

Sally debated with herself, should she tell Bo before or after they went out driving for the night. She sighed, she cried, then a little before eight, when she was expecting Bo, she sat up, put on a nice dress and enough makeup to disguise her recent tears. She steeled herself for the unpleasant task at hand.

Bo honked his dixie horn and then came up on her porch, she opened the door.

"Here you go" he said handing her a boquet of flowers, smiling ear to ear.

She forced a smile and took the flowers while they made small talk and she gathered her things.

"Say, how about we just go to the park, I'm not feeling like a rowdy night out tonight" she said managing a laugh.

He smiled "whatever makes you happy" he said taking her arm and walking with her to the park, loving the way the late evening light shaded her face and the dying sun danced in her hair. He felt extremely lucky to be the boy she fancied most in town.

She sat down on a swing and he pushed her, he couldn't see, but there were tears in her eyes. She brushed them away and flew out of the swing, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Bo" she said as they started back to her place, Bo had high hopes for that night, she might let him stay the night if he was really lucky. "Bo" she repeated, getting his attention.

"Yeah?" he said smiling and playing with her curls while he had his arm around her shoulders as they walked.

She moved away as they got to her porch, a bit of thunder rolled above them.

"What is it?" he asked, feeling something was wrong.

"I can't do this anymore" she said. "You're sweet, but I just don't feel this is right. You and me. It's never going to work, surely you see that?" she said trying to cover the heartbreak that was happening to her. Thunder sounded closer to them and lightning flashed a few miles away. The lightning lit a face that looked like it'd been slapped, stung, and shot simultaneously. The face was that of Bo Duke.

"If that's how you feel" he said recoiling a bit as the first raindrops began to come down.

"It is, you're a great guy. It's just I don't feel I'm right for you" she shook her head "or that you're right for me. We just aren't a good match" she said trying to sound like she meant what she said, when every fiber of her being screamed the opposite.

"Fine" he said shaking his head, reeling from the shock. He felt like he'd been hit in the head while having a hangover.

"Sorry to have wasted your time" she said and turned and went inside before he could see her tears.

He just stood in the rain, it was coming down hard now as he just became soaking wet, his insides now laying somewhere on the ground right off her front porch. It took him a minute but he went and got in General Lee and drove, and drove, down every backroad, through every junkyard, flying off ever jump he knew. He wanted to drown every thought of the last few weeks. He could get over her, of course he could. What was so special about Sally McKinney? he'd been with dozens of girls, and most of them had given more than she had come close to. There was no reason to be heartbroke by her breaking up with him. None at all.

Meanwhile, on the floor of the little house behind the school a young Texan girl was curled up on the phone with her brother, sobbing her heart out to her best friend, who was too far away to fulfill all the threats he was handing out to all responsible for reducing his sis to the state she was in currently.


	7. Heart Troubles

Weeks passed, and even winning the race did nothing to soothe Bo, not that he thought anyone noticed his sullen mood. Hell, half the time he was in denial about it. Why was she stuck in his head?

Finally, a week before school began Bo sat down on the sofa with his cousin Daisy and asked her a question that he had been brooding over. "Why did she do it? I mean I know I'm not the best at making a relationship work, a serious one at least, but I don't remember doing anything that would make her want to end it" he said.

"I don't know" Daisy lied. She and Bo had briefly discussed his breakup once or twice before.

"Really? you still talk to her, why don't you ask her?" he said a little heatedly "I'd like to know."

"Now Bo, let a girl decide for herself who she wants to date" she said getting up and going out to the Jeep and firing it up, driving to town. Sally was too busy to talk, she was getting ready for school's start.

That Sunday Jesse came home from going to church and reported that "that sweet girl Bo had been dating" was now singing in the choir at church.

A month passed, and every Sunday Bo drove past the church and floored past, glaring at it, like she had broken up with him because he didn't measure up to her high moral standards, which was completely untrue, but he needed a reason to soothe his troubled mind.

In the month or two that passed after she had left Bo brokenhearted standing in the rain, Sally had tried to distract herself in anything and everything. Church events, socials, school stuff, anything really. She died a little every time she saw the orange Charger drive past. She had gotten where she recognized the sound of it's engine, and it was the sound of heartbreak for her.

Daisy felt torn. She had to watch both her cousin and her new best friend suffer day by day. Bo was quiet and sullen. Sally was antisocial and depressed.

One day Daisy, feeling torn in two went back to the house in the middle of the day and found Uncle Jesse.

"Uncle Jesse" she said sitting down at the kitchen table.

"What's on your mind Daisy?" he said handing her a glass of lemonade as he sat down by her, taking her hand.

"It's Bo" she said sighing "and Sally" she added.

"I figured" he said nodding, waiting for her to speak her mind.

"It's just I don't know what to do. Bo is cranky and won't talk to anyone, even racing doesn't make him happy. And Sally, she's gloomy and all she does is read sad poetry these days. I've read so many books of hers, trying to talk about them to cheer her up, but it's hopeless. She's pining for him, and he's heartbroke because she left him without a good reason."

"Did you ever think about telling him the truth?" Jesse asked.

"Would it help?"

"Usually does, at the least it's the best policy in all cases" he said smiling paternally. "I'm not saying tell him, you decide what you think is best, just don't rule it out as an option."

That week Daisy found Bo out in the garage and brought out some sweet tea and sat down on the work bench.

"You can just leave it Daisy" he said from under the car.

"I've got something to tell you" she said trying to form what she was going to say in her head.

"Yeah?" he said rolling out from under the General, he had a feeling Daisy wasn't just going to go away and leave him alone like he was hoping.

"I know why Sally broke it off" she said quietly.

Bo sat up, hitting his head on the car.

"Why?"

"I've actually known this whole time, but I wasn't sure you were ready for it, or that you'd listen." She sighed "she's a school teacher, she couldn't be seen dating a guy with a reputation like yours and keep her job."

"So she broke up with me to save her reputation?" he asked bitterly "why did she go with me in the first place then? or go skinnydipping? or any of that. It's two-faced" he complained.

"That's not all of it, she was too in love with to care, but after she got the General back, Boss made it his business to end y'all's love affair. She was faced with losing her job and getting run out of town, or continuing to be with you. And seeing as she figured you'd get over her and move on, she chose what she thought was best."

He sighed, wiping his hands on a grease rag and then running one through his blonde hair. He knew the reason now, he just had no idea what to do.

That Sunday in the back pew of the First Baptist Church of Hazzard sat Beauregard William Duke, feeling out of place, but wanting to get a quick word with Sally without arousing suspicions that could lose her her job. His eyes were riveted to her the entire service, even in the big choir robes, she still looked too good to be real. He only half paid attention to the sermon, and waited in the alcove by the door as everyone left.

Sally had seen him, and missed a couple words while singing because she kept getting distracted by him.

As she walked past Bo reached out and took her hand, leading her to the side.

"Bo" she said taking her hands back and looking around. They had said nothing more than "hi" to each other since July when they'd broke up.

"I had to" he said a little breathless. "Daisy told me why, why couldn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I didn't know how you would take it, whether you'd still force the issue and try to make it work. We can't" she said her voice breaking "I... I wish we could" those were the words her lips said, but her eyes said, I love you Bo Duke.

"There has to be some way" he said getting fired up.

"No!" she said firmly "we can't. This is why I didn't tell you in the first place. I wish Daisy hadn't said anything. I'd rather have you hating me than having unachievable hopes" she said sighing.

"I never hated you" he spoke softly "how could I?" he asked.

Sally turned away, close to tears, she knew, in his own way, Bo had just told her that he loved her, and it killed her to know it.

"I better go" she said looking back at him before leaving the church.

Bo just stood there for a while, puzzling, before he went for a long drive.

Later that day he came back to the church and quietly came back in, going back to the back pew where he had sat and kneeling down. It was a clumsy but sincere prayer. He didn't usually pray, or make any time for God really, except for swearing or when he was in a serious jam. And this was the worst jam he'd ever been in. His words tumbled out, crying out for help, because no earthly power could help him, and he knew this. He got up and went home. And while his sulkiness lessened, he was still quieter than his usual self, less sarcastic remarks and more thoughtful silence.


	8. Holiday Rush

Fall slowly turned chilly and in the months that had passed since clearing the air at church Bo and Sally looked at each other but said little or nothing with their mouths and everything with their eyes. One frosty November day, just before the break for the Thanksgiving holiday, Bo saw Sally walking from the school in no coat, her arms huddled around her to stay warm and blowing on her hands.

"Here let me" he said appearing at her side and putting his coat over her shoulders.

"Bo!" she said startled and alarmed.

"Shh. It's just a coat" he said looking down at her.

"Why are you out in the cold anyway?" he asked as he walked with her.

"One of my students cut himself sharpening his pencil" she said "I need to get some stuff for bandaging."

"He was sharpening it with a pocket knife wasn't he?" Bo asked smiling.

"Yeah."

"I did that once" he said chuckling as he opened the door to the drug store for her. She got some bandages and cream and bought them, hastening back to the school. Handing Bo back his coat as they got back to the school.

"Say, if you ain' doing anything for the holiday, I.. I mean we, we'd love to have you over."

"Thanks" she said smiling "Daisy already invited her, I told her we'd see." she disappeared inside the school and Bo stood there smiling like an idiot for a few minutes before he realized how cold he was.

That Thanksgiving the Dukes had an extra guest. Sally had come. Surely Boss Hogg couldn't be such a Grinch as to deny her company on a holiday. And word was he had taken Lulu to Atlanta for the weekend. Laughs were shared all around the table and the food was beyond words. Sally had helped Daisy and Jesse cook while the boys had made up the fire and helped out where they could. Bo couldn't stay out of the kitchen, even when he was in the way. He was finally sent out of the kitchen but he still watched from the doorway. He loved how well she got along with his family. She and Daisy were thick as thieves.

After supper they all gathered around the fire and told stories late into the night. Sally dozed off for a bit, leaning on Bo's arm, and he didn't hear most of the stories from that moment on. All he could do was look at her and smile, and then remind himself that despite her being so close to him, she was still a million miles away. He sighed. His kin looked on guessing most of what was going through his mind. Luke's laughter woke Bo's sleeping angel and with a start she got up, realizing how late it was.

Farewells were long on all sides and Bo somehow found himself unable to let go of hold of her hand until they were freezing outside on the porch. He looked up at the tree in the front yard as he walked her to her car and smiled.

"Mistletoe" he said grinning mischeviously.

"So it is" she said with a smile in return and then she, in a fit of long restrained love and tender passion took him by the collar and pulled him down to her height and kissed him long and hard. All of her well hid emotion came through in that kiss and Bo knew he had to find a way to get her back. In that moment Sally far outstripped every other girl he'd ever been with and became undisputed champion of his heart. As they seperated Bo just looked down at her and smiled.

"Happy Thanksgiving Sally McKinney" he said giving her lips a soft brush with his.

"Happy Thanksgiving Beauregard Duke" she said grinning, knowing he disliked his proper first name, but somehow, he didn't mind this time, her Texan drawl made it sound cool, or maybe it was just the fact that it was her who was saying it. He opened her car door for her, loathe to see her leave. He stood in the yard watching her dust fall back onto the road in the moonlight.

They didn't speak to each other again before she left to go home to Texas for the Christmas break.

During those grey early January days Jesse went out to the garage with some soup for the boys. Bo had been working on cars more than usual lately. Jesse figured he knew why.

"Uncle Jesse" Bo said coming out from under a car.

His uncle smiled. "I brought you and Luke something to eat."

"Thanks" he said smiling and wiping his hands.

After some small talk about the car and news on new schemes of Roscoe and Boss Bo casually added "I got a call from Sally" he said, beaming despite himself.

"Oh" his uncle said nodding "how is she?"

"She doesn't want to come back" he said chuckling nervously "or rather her family doesn't want her to. Who can blame them for missing her?" he said crossed between celebrating her call and panicking that she might not return to Hazzard county. "She says she will though, at least until the summer is over."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Jesse asked.

"What can I do Uncle Jesse?" Bo protested.

"Well, you have two choices. You let her get away, go back to Texas, marry some cowboy or city slicker in the oil business or just be single and teach in some town a thousand miles away" Jesse saw his nephew's heart breaking on his face. "Or you make an honest woman out of her in this town's eyes."

"What do you mean?" he asked eagerly.

"I mean you court her, properly. If you really do love her, and you seem to from how you've been acting, then the only thing you can do to keep her around is to make it clear to her, and the whole town that your intentions are serious, above the board, honest and honorable. You either let her go or you woo her like you want to marry her, only if you actually do of course. Because I won't see you triflin' with a girl like that's heart" Jesse warned ominously.

Bo sat there thinking. He did love her that much, didn't he. He thought of the forbidden kiss under the mistletoe over a month back, thought of how every time he saw her leave it was like watching someone walk off with his heart, and him being left helpless without it.

"You think about it" Jesse said "you've got two weeks 'til she comes back to Hazzard" he added, assuring Bo that he had some time to think about it. And with that Jesse left the garage, driving home, feeling satisfied that the situation between his nephew and the school teacher might finally come to a resolution and he and the rest of the family could have some peace from watching their loved one suffer and his girl pine.


	9. Sweetheart for Sale

January passed into February and still Bo Duke hadn't found a chance to talk with Sally, and he was still trying to figure out what he was going to say when he did. Fortunately fate intervened in the form of a clever idea from Uncle Jesse.

The Ladies Auxilliary was having an event to raise money for some local Hazzard charities, the form this fundraiser was to take was a picnic, if weather allowed, or an indoor dance if weather didn't.

Uncle Jesse casually told the boys about this, but it had no effect, not until he mentioned this

"and incidentally, there's to be a raffle" he added.

"Is there a car to be won?" Bo asked.

"No, no, something a lot more valuable than any automobile, something that might interest you a great deal. Five of the prettiest girls in Hazzard, equipped with picnic baskets full of their own good cooking, are up for grabs to the highest bidder and" Jesse didn't have the chance to finish, Bo had done sprung off his seat on the sofa.

"Sally!" he exclaimed.

"Now you're comin' 'round to it" Jesse said with a chuckle.

Luke laughed as he saw his cousin dart upstairs, doubtless to pull out every penny, nickle, dime, quarter, and odd bill from his mattress, change dish, and potentially "borrow" some from Luke's stashes of cash. Luke was a much better saver, so most of his money was in the bank, or hid somewhere where Bo didn't know about, but he always left some where Bo could find it, just in case his cousin got stuck in a hard place and needed an emergency loan. Besides, Bo had been borrowing his money since before they were ten, he already owed him everything, up to, and including, his first born child whenever he had one.

Valentine's Day came around and the raffle was to be outdoors, with indoor dancing as soon as it got chilly.

It started out with the usual bake sale items, Sally was done up real smart in a pink blouse with a red skirt and a genuine pearl necklace that had Lulu Hogg pea green with envy. She smiled and laughed and sold out of pies in the first half hour. Then there were the announcements and special honored guests, and the whole time Bo was itching for the Sweetheart Raffle to just happen. He'd put on his Sunday clothes for the occasion and looked quite respectable, numerous matrons of the community had commented, and complimented him, both to his face, and to each other.

The moment finally came and Boss and Lulu announced the Sweetheart Auction. Bo sat up real alert, he was mentally counting every dollar he had. It amounted to about twenty-six dollars and fourteen cents, and he was ready to stake it all.

Two other girls in the community were summarily raffled off to their sweethearts for somewhere around fifteen dollars apiece. Then came Sally, sitting all prettied up with her green eyes sparkling.

"Ten dollars" was bid.

"I give twelve" it was the voice of Jimmy Higgins, cutting off Bo Duke's voice.

"Fifteen!" Bo shouted.

"I got fifteen, anyone raise" Boss said glaring at Bo Duke.

"Seventeen" came Ernie Ledbetter's bid.

"Twenty six dollars fourteen cents and my silver watch" Bo shouted. Now everyone knew that Bo's silver watch was his prized possession, just the fact he was wearing it out had signified to the community that this event held special significance for the young man. Luke looked over at his cousin.

"Sorry boy, only cash is allowed in the betting. The bid is 26.14" Boss said smiling patronizingly at Bo.

"I bid twenty-eight" came Jimmy's voice.

Luke passed some cash off to his cousin, when Bo looked down he was amazed at what he found, it was a two bills with Grant on them.

"One hundred twenty-six dollars and fourteen cents" Bo shouted.

Everyone stared in silence, Luke just grinned.

"Do I have a higher offer?" Boss asked, his voice a bit strained and his face a bit purple. No one said anything. "Going once. Going Twice. Sold to Beauregard Duke of Hazzard County" came the reluctant announcement.

"YEE-HOO!" came Bo's voice as he hopped up on the stage, handing Lulu the money and taking Sally by the hand, grinning ear to ear, not even caring that he now owed Luke even more money, and that he had spent his last dime. It was all more than worth it.

He helped her off the stage and they went over to a park bench with their picnic dinner.

"Bo Duke, have you done lost your mind?" she asked as soon as they were away from the crowd.

"I just might have" he said grinning "along with my heart" he smiled, wanting to kiss her but not daring to with so many Hazzard parents in pressence.

"Bo, why did you do it? That's a lot of money" she remonstrated gently.

"I did it because I love you Sally, love you more than any girl I've ever been with before, and I want this town to know that I mean right by you, and I want you to know it too. You're not a girl to be made a fool of, any man who did would be the fool, and I'm done with that, I'm putting my wild days behind me where women are concerned and I'm stickin' to one, and that's you, for as long as you want me around I'll be staying true to you" Bo said earnestly.

She smiled and pulled him behind a big oak tree where she gave him a long and tender kiss.

"I take that as a yes" he said taking her arm and leading her back out to their picnic table.

"Yes you conceited hayseed" she said low enough where only he could hear.

From then on the people of Hazzard saw Bo Duke at church more often, and not sitting in the back. He sat with the school teacher in Sunday school and during the sermon, walked her to her door after school let out and did everything in the public eye, and everyone thought what a reformation she had effected on one of their more wilder sons. Bo went out of his way to make amends to the girls whose hearts he had broken, and to their parents, always being respectful, courteous and helping them when they had to go up against Rosco and his corruption.

A few still grumbled, but so far nothing more than a couple stolen kisses and some hand holding had been spotted, so nothing really improper was going on. Some still had doubts, usually prompted by Boss Hogg, but for every citizen Boss turned against the happy couple, there was at least two that his wife pacified. For Lulu was always fond of the boys, and how they complimented her, and how generous Bo had been at the raffle. So for the time Sally and Bo met under the public eye without much controversy, and they had secret meet ups that no one but his family knew about, usually out at the farm house when she was supposedly having Sunday Dinner with the Dukes. She was at the Dukes, and she did have dinner, but it was usually just her and Bo by themselves in his and Luke's old treehouse.


	10. Spring Fever

As spring came so did spring fever, and Bo and Sally met more and more often, people in the town began to grumble just a bit, but the rumor was she'd be gone by the end of the summer anyways, most people didn't want to believe that. The few who did were the uneducated parents of children who they wanted to be as uneducated as themselves.

One delightfully warm March Sunday, where the cool of winter still hung in the mornings and made for perfect temperatures during the day Bo took Sally out up to the treehouse they took their plates with them and talked and laughed their way through their meal, stealing kisses for the slightest of reasons. After they had finished Bo pulled her into his lap, kissing her hungrily. Gosh she made his head spin. Things got heated up real quick and soon they were in nothing but their underwear.

"You" Bo panted "you okay with this?"

"Bo" she said nuzzling into his neck "I love you more than reason. Of course I'm okay with this" she said and with that they got to it.

Bo woke up a couple hours later, laid out on the blankets on the treehouse floor, Sally curled up on his chest in nothing but the skin God blessed her with. He smiled. It wasn't his first, though he had found out it was hers, but it had certainly meant more to him than any other time, and it had been the longest he'd waited for a girl. Which somehow made it all the more sweeter when the time had at last come. He got his jeans back on and threw a blanket over her, silently creeping back into the house and carrying her to his room. When Luke came home the next morning and went to their room to get a change of clothes, he saw Sally's bare shoulder and his cousin all curled up around her, both of them sleeping like babies, innocence and love on their faces. Luke grabbed his clothes and changed in the bathroom.

"Hey Luke" Daisy said smiling as she reached for her hairbrush from off the bathroom counter.

"Daisy" he said, "would you mind finding a way to wake the two of them up, if Sally isn't careful she'll be late to school."

Daisy's eyes widened and she peeped in the door to the boys room.

"I'll call out sick for her" she said "I don't have the heart to wake them up."

And so Daisy did, and when the two of them woke up Jesse was out fishing, and Luke and Daisy had made themselves scarce too.

Sally stretched awake and so woke up Bo, who murmured something unintelligble and then promptly fell off the side of the small bed. Sally laughed.

"Come here you" he said reaching up and pulling her down on the floor too.

She giggled.

"Last one up has to make breakfast" she dared, and Bo bolted to his feet, throwing a pillow at her to keep her on the floor. She lay there laughing for a few moments and then got to her feet.

"I got you some clothes out of Daisy's closet" he said bringing her a nice top and shorts.

"Thanks" she said as he helped her to her feet.

He shyly played with her hair, unable to break away from her even while she got dressed.

"You're such a distraction" she said stealing a kiss from him from over her shoulder.

"Look who's talking" he accused.

"Well you don't seem to be able to stop looking" she said sassily as she did up the last button on her blouse.

"Can you blame me?" he asked sweetly.

She had breakfast ready in no time and Bo was, as usual, more than impressed with her cooking.

"You know, I could get used to days going like this" he said, trying to work his way around to something he had been meaning to say, but still couldn't figure out how. He wanted to be a big romantic hero like in those books she was always reading, but he could hardly save her sister's wounded reputation by paying the man at fault to marry her, much less storm a castle besieged by a dragon to rescue her. He was just a simple country boy. Sometimes he wondered what she saw in him that made her love him so much.

"Really?" she said looking over her shoulder as she got milk out of the ice box.

"Yeah, you, me, breakfast, every morning, up until we're old and grey and surrounded by fifteen kids and own a horse ranch" he said chuckling.

"Fifteen?" she asked giggling "sure that's enough."

"However many you want is enough for me, just so long as it's you and me having them, because I don't fancy sharin' my girl."

"And she doesn't fancy sharing you either" she said with a grin.

From then on the orange Dodge Charger was seen outside the house behind the school a lot more frecquently, and people began to grumble more. But Bo and Sally could hardly had time for small town gossip.

In April, with wildflowers growing everywhere Bo finally put everything in order for the perfect date for Sally. He'd been wanting to take her out somewhere special, and in exchange for some help with thwarting Rosco and Boss he had gotten loan of two fine horses for the day, and free roam of the man's spread. He knew that his Texas girl loved horses, her daddy owned a couple. They drove out to the land and he got out, helping her out of the window, not having told her anything. He led her out to the barn, nodding to one of the owner's boys.

"It's those two last stalls" he said, tipping his hat to Samantha.

Sally's face lit up at the sight and smell of horses, she rushed down to the last stall and looked the roan over. She noticed it wasn't shoed. The one in the stall next door was shod.

"Well I guess that means we'll just have to ride double" Bo said grinning.

She gave him a playful shove and picked up the saddle after putting the blanket down.

"Give that here little lady" he said stealing a kiss from her from over the saddle as he took it and put it on the horses back. They synched it up in no time and Sally warmed up the bay by trotting around the farm yard. Bo couldn't help but stare, she looked so at home up on that horse. She rode past and stole his hat off of his head and put it on. She looked more beautiful than ever he thought.

They rode through the fields filled with grass and flowers, scattering up crickets and grasshoppers everywhere they went. She made Bo ride behind, as the better rider she knew she needed to be in front. Bo didn't mind, he got to steal kisses and keep his arm curled around her waist as much as she would allow. They rode off and on until all day. Sometimes with just her racing through the fields as Bo watched.

She got off the horse as the sun was beginning to slip towards the horizon.

"We should start walking him back" she said smiling at Bo. "It's been the best day a girl could dream of" she said leaning up and giving him a kiss.

"That's what I was hoping."

They walked close by each others side, Bo suddenly realizing that it had been the best day ever, but he still had somehow managed to fail to talk about what he had been wanting to talk about.

"Sally" he said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I know this might not be what you've got in mind, and if it ain't, thats fine" he said swallowing hard.

"What is it Bo?" she asked.

"And we wouldn't have to make it public until whenever you wanted, I don't want to make anymore of a mess of things for you in town than I already have."

"Bo" she said looking up at him "what is it you're asking exactly?"

"Would you" he took a deep breath and his voice went up an octave "would you be my bride?" he asked closing his eyes and exhaling. His eyes remained closed, but only because Sally had pulled him down to her height by his collar and was kissing him like he couldn't believe. He smiled, nuzzling her lips as they broke contact.

"I take that as a yes?" he said grinning cockily.

"Yes, you conceited hayseed" she said kissing him again.

"This conceited hayseed must secretly be a compliment, seems like you kiss me every time you say it. I think it really just means too handsome for words southern man" he said grinning.

"It could" she said laughing as they handed the horse over to the owner's son and walked hand in hand to the General. It was a long drive home, with an even longer stop by the lake shore and a picnic on the blanket that ended up with them skinny dipping again, and this time a little more than kissing did happen. But no one stole the General.


	11. Summer Lovin'

Bo and Sally kept their engagement a secret, seeing as they didn't feel they could make it official until Bo got her papa's blessing. Only Luke, Daisy, and Jesse knew, and her family back in Texas of course. Bo had nervously called to ask her father's blessing, which was still to be given. He insisted on coming out to Georgia and meeting the boy before he gave his full consent to giving his baby girl away to him.

So as the school year wound to a close, with less than a month left, the Hazzard county hotel found itself full as Sally's mother, father and brother took up residence. There was an April picnic and bake sale to be held and Sally made sure her family was in Hazzard by the day before so they could attend festivities in the town that had grown so much on her.

Bo was all duded up for the occasion, nervouser than a hen with a snake in the coup. He could not settle down, no matter how much Jesse and Daisy assured him that everything would be fine before leaving the house to get things set up in the park. He and Luke drove out to the park, parking the General in a sane fashion for once, not screeching to a halt. Luke knew Bo was all nerves at this point. They got out and Bo spotted Sally, selling pies.

"I'll buy one" he said smiling and handing her a dollar. She smiled, took the dollar, and he handed the pie to Luke. "So your folks, are they here yet?"

"They should be any minute" she provided, slipping out from the behind the table, leaving Daisy in charge of sales. "And don't worry, they already know that I'm stubborn enough that I'll marry you anyway" she whispered. He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her as they walked, and kissed the top of her head. He bought her a necklace from a rummage sale and some ice cream from the ice cream stand. Just as she was finishing off her cup of ice cream she caught site of her parents strolling across the park lawn from the parking lot.

"Daddy!" she said running towards them, launching herself into the arms of her tall broad shouldered father.

"Babycakes!" he said hugging her tight "You look fresh as a daisy and twice as pretty." He said smiling proudly. She moved on and hugged her mama, who as practically in tears, and her two big brothers hugged her at the same time, Bo just shyly leaned on his arm against a nearby tree, watching the whole scene. He felt that if they did deny him their blessing he'd have to let her go, her and her family were just too close for him to want to risk busting up the love they had for his own selfish motives. "So this must be the fella that's wantin' my blessing" the deep voice of Mr McKinney drawled.

"Yes sir" Bo said stepping forward.

"Cindy Lee, would you kindly take our daughter somewhere so me and this boy can talk in private" he said.

Her mother took her arm, and her two brothers hesitated, did they help their dad interogate the poor farm boy or did they spend time with their sister who they hadn't seen in almost a year.

"You too boys, I don't need no help" he said shaking his head. He was trying to look serious but the wide-eyed look on Bo's face had him half in laughter.

"So, Bo is it?"

"Yes sir"

"You wanna marry my little girl?"

"Yes sir"

There was a brief pause as Daddy McKinney gathered his thoughts.

"You a God-fearin' man?"

"Yes sir" Bo could answer this question a little more confidently than he might have a year back, going to church with Sally had done more than just give him time to hold her hand under the table at Sunday school.

"You love my Sally?"

"Yes sir!" Bo was very confident with the answer to that.

"If she were going to take a bullet, or get hurt in anyway, would you step in the way and take the blow for her?"

"Yes sir" Bo replied.

"Well then son" David McKinney said "I regret to inform myself, that you have my blessing boy" he said, a smile breaking out across his face.

Bo grinned "You mean it?"

"Boy, I always mean what I say" he said seriously.

"Yes sir" Bo said. "But I got a question"

"Why am I not surprised" he said laughing again.

"Those questions, you didn't need to come all the way out to Hazzard to ask me them, we've talked on the phone."

"I needed to see your face as you answered them. You have to look a man in the eye to know what he's thinkin'" he said leading Bo to where Sally and her mother were. Sally had introduced her brothers to Luke and they were talking up a right storm about cars and girls. "He's all yours sissy" he said leading Bo right up to her. She smiled and her parents found something distracting to look at as Bo swept her up in his arms and kissed her with a happy ardent passion.

An hour later, while everyone was settling in to their food Sally's father David and Uncle Jesse were becoming fast friends, even if Jesse was a bit rustic by David's standards, and David a might stuffy and full of himself by Jesse's. Cindy Lee was talking with Daisy about Sally, and the boys, were still talking cars together. Which allowed Bo and Sally to sneak just out of sight for some quiet time to themselves, away from all the chatter and the eyes of the townsfolk.

The two of them were so happy, just laying out on their blanket, talking about their future and stealing kisses. Soon enough they were wrapped pretty tight in each other's arms, and their happiness was about to be put in danger. You see, Bo had one ex that was just green-eyed with jealousy, because Bo was getting serious, and it wasn't with her. She had seen them disappear, saw them making out, and then went and got her aunt, a pruny spinster of a teacher, who disliked Sally anyways, and showed them the two of them all curled up with Bo's hand up Sally's back under her blouse. Triumphant with her overthrow of Sally McKinney, the rival and her aunt marched back to the picnic grounds and told all the parents. And she may have beena mean old spinster, but the girl's aunt was known throughout the town for always speaking the truth. Outrage and scandal were brewing and Daisy left the pie stand to seek out her cousin and Sally before things blew up.

"Bo! Sally!" Daisy said calling out as she went into the woods.

"Yeah?" Bo said sitting up, Sally on his lap. Both of their's hair in a mess.

"Y'all better get straightened out, and quick, apparently Anne Garner and her aunt spotted y'all and now the town wants to hang Bo and send Sally out by sundown."

They scrambled to their feet and Daisy helped them straighten out their clothes and hair. The two of them nervously reentered the park, Daisy trailing behind, in case they had to run and she could block the way, or talk sense into them.

"There they are" Anne said with malice in her tone.

"Now you two have gone too far" came the voice of Boss Hogg "I warned you this day would come, but you didn't listen. You Duke boys never do."

"It's not Bo, it's that green-eyed teacher who's bewitched him with her mantraps"

"Now wait here" came the booming voice of Daivd McKinney "That is my daughter, and she does not have any mantraps, other than the ones God give her, and she can't help having those."

"She's always readin' them books though" Anne protested.

"It's because she knows there's more to a girl than just her looks, she should have a good mind too, it's a novel idea, you might wanna try it out some day Anne" Daisy said as she entered the park.

"But still, who's to blame doesn't matter. The point is our teacher's reputation is now in question. We can't have a woman like that teachin' our children" Boss protested.

"But what's wrong with a man kissin' his fiancee?" Bo pleaded plaintively. "Ain't like any of y'all wouldn't do the same" he accused.

"fiancee" everyone murmured.

"You mean to tell me, Bo Duke, that you are contemplating matrimony to this little lady?" Boss asked doubtfully.

"I can tell you for sure he is" came the voice of her father "I gave him my blessing not two hours ago. And furthermore, little man" he said looking down at Boss from his towering six foot four inches height "if you ever, I mean ever, try to stir up trouble for my girl and her fella Bo again, I will see to it that you get put behind bars, where you justly belong for all your many crimes and corrupt actions" he said severely.

"You can't talk to me like that! I'll... I'll"

"You'll do nothing. I'm David McKinney, I own one of the biggest spreads in north Texas, I have friends in Atlanta and Savannah and Nashville and everywhere across the South. You cause trouble for my Sally and her beau, I will cause trouble for you, plain and simple." He said.

"But engaged or not, she's still a teacher, it's indecent" Anne's aunt plead. And some of the townsfolk concurred.

"Tell me something Bette Anne Garner" came Jesse's serene voice "you ever been young and in love? I went to school with you, I know you have. Now why can't you let these two in peace. I love how old fashioned Hazzard is as much as you, but some of our old fashioned ways could do with a little updating. She's a teacher true, but she's also human. And were she not a teacher would any of you be makin' this big ole fuss about her and Bo being caught kissing in the woods. How many of you have taken a sweetheart for moonlight drives or kissed behind the schoolhouse?" he asked fastening his eye on all their faces in turn. "So let them be, they've got as much right to be happy together as any of us, in fact maybe a little more." He said flatly.

The angry mob disbanded. They couldn't bring themselves to persecute Bo and the teacher any further.

"Say" Bo said, an idea coming to his mind. "How long are y'all in town for?" he asked her mother.

"We planned on visiting for about a month."

"Sally, that's enough time to plan a wedding right?"

She pondered "with a lot of trips to Atlanta it should be" she said smiling.

"So we could get married before your parents go back to Texas" he said, feeling that the idea was quite brilliant.

"We could" she said grinning ear to ear and he picked her up in his arms and spun around.

"YEE-HOO!" he shouted in glee.


End file.
